Boat-propeller.



" PALTENTEDAMAY 24, 1904 I F. R-ITGHEL.

BOAT PROPELLER. APPLICATION TILED OUT. 17, 1903.

N0 MODELL W/TNESSES: y 2 2M? A7TOHNEY- CHARLEsF: RiTCHEL,

' Patented May 24, 190 1.

PATIENT: O FI E.*

or" BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT T. FREE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

" I BOAT-PROPELLER.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,758, dated May 24, 1904, Application filed October 17,1903. Serial 110,177,385. (It niodel.)

To all whom'it'mcty concern;- v

Be it knownthat I, CHARLES F. RIT HEL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Bri'dgeportmounty of Fairficld,

and State of Connecticut; haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat-Propellers, of which the followingis a specification.

water and returningfrec-of the water and means of so'operating them, as hereinafter described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which 1 j Figure 1 represents a cross section of a boat with my improved propelling apparatus, rep-L resenting one way in which it maybe carried out in practice. Fig. 2 is adetailiu longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the paddle-gangs detached from the boat. I I

Inthis representation of my "invention I show the paddles as applied in a foreand 'aft ghannel along the middle of the bottom of the oat. A represents-the shell or bodyof the boat, having a channel 5 of more or less length and depth along the bottom and each side of the keel 0, or it may be two separate channels,

which is to be understood, although'only her'einafter mentioned in the singular number, as intended to mean one or two channels, sald channel being open to the water below and being partitioned from the interior of the boat pin it and extending into connection with a similar crank or disk e', carried on a shortshaft j in a bearing is, centrallylocated between the two engines and preferably carried on a supportl, mounted on the keel 0.

On the wristpin h a manifold paddle-header m is pivoted intermediately of its lengthwise to wrist-pins carried by idler cranks or disks p to control the paddle-headers in respect to cranks or disks 90', thus affording support to both ends of the wrist-pins for substantial construction and durable operation.

The headers we carry rigidly-attached down- Wardlyprojecting paddles q in any suitable number, according to the length of the headfers, and arranged at suitable intervals apart moving backward-relatively to the movecourse.

The paddles are beveled on the hind side to reduce them to wedge shape for entering the 'ticed that this bevel of the hind side causes propelling effect on the paddles as they enter the water. 7

5 Two gangs or clusters of'paddles will be used, placed in a channel and so coupled that they williact alternately in and out of the water, and thus-operate with minimum shocks and jars. In this case this coupling is to be seen by the connection of the crank-disks 11, by the short shaft j, and the connection of the headers to opposite sides of the centers of the crank-disks, respectively.

The headers may of course be made in any appropriate length and have any approved number of buckets.v

-.It is to be seen that part of the channel where the paddles are located and geared is upwardly extended, as at r, before mentioned,

means to prevent would be flooded with wa-' ter, which would to some extent hinder the proper Working of the paddles. I have therefore provided the said'air-tight hood 0? in for controlling the level of the water and have connected said space by pipes s with the to have propelling effect on the boat when ment of the boat-in the lower part of their Water with least resistance, and it is to be no-.

to provide space for the gears and without which to retain a supply of compressed air' extremities, which are similarlypivoted at n their circular movements, and these wrist n pins also connect with other cooperatlng idler rigidly-attached paddles, a rotating-driving;

may be employed to control the pressure of the air in the paddle-spaces. It is, however, desirable for well-known reasons to locate the paddles under the boat and employ the compressed-air water-level controller,

What I claim as my invention is 1. In boat-propelling apparatus, the combination of a paddle-header having one or more crank or disk and wrist-pin connected thereto for operating said header, means for operating said crank ordisk, and rotatory idler cranks or disks, and wrist-pin, connections of the header therewith for controlling the header in respect of its rotatory motion.

2. In boat-propelling apparatus, the combination of a paddle-header having a series of rigidly-attached paddles placed at intervals along it lengthwise, a rotating driving crank or .disk and wrist-pin for operating the head er, means for operating, said crank or disk, and rotatory idler cranks or disks, and wrist-pin connections of the header therewith for controllingthe header in respect of its rotatory motion- 7 c.-

3. 'In boat-propellingapparatus, the combinationof a paddle-header having one or more rigidly-attached paddles, a rotatory driving crank or disk and wrist-pin foroperating the header, means for operating said crank or disk, rotatory idler cranks or disks, and wristpin connections of the header therewith for controlling the header in respect of its rotatory motion, a duplicate of the driving crank or disk and wrist-pin connection, and shaft carrying the same in the axial line of the driving crank or disk, and duplicate rotatory idler cranks ordisks and W rist-pin connections with the header in the axial lines of the first-mentioned idler cranks or disks, said header being carried intermediately of the respective driving and idler cranks or disks.

4- In boat-propelling apparatus, the combination of two paddle-headers each having one or more rigidly-attached paddles, a rotatory driving crank or disk and wrist-pin connections to each header for operating them,

means for operatingfsaid cranks or disks, du-

plicate' rotating idler cranks or disks and wrist-pin connections of the headers therewith for controlling the headers respectively in respect to their, rotatory motions, and means positively connecting the driving and idler cranks of the respectiveheaders for unity of action in alternating application of the driving power,

Signed at New York this 28th day of September, 1903.

- CHARLES F. RITOHEL. VVitnesses:

C. SEDGWICK, J. M. HOWARD. 

